A new screening tool which uses a process known as "transient absorption" to detect metallic in single-walled carbon nanotubes (Image: Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University)

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Article Summary

The use of semiconducting carbon nanotubes in place of conventional silicon components and circuits could revolutionize electronics, bringing us even faster and more power efficient devices. One of the problems in manufacturing these nanostructures is getting rid of unwanted metallic tubes, but researchers from Purdue University (PU), Indiana, hope a new screening tool which uses a process known as "transient absorption" to detect these impurities will provide a boost to the manufacturing process.